At one level Southeast Texans understand the need for the U.S. Postal Service to economize, which means some changes in delivery or facilities. But that won't make it any easier when the doors are closed on the Walden Road mail processing and distribution center.

As an official with the mail handlers union noted, the change will mean that mail dropped off in Beaumont for a Beaumont destination will be trucked to Houston for sorting before returning here. That doesn't seem to make sense at a time when the Postal Service should be emphasizing the second word in its title. If short-term decisions like this drive more customers away, they aren't helping in the long run.

It also appears that this move was pre-ordained even though the Postal Service went through the motions of holding local hearings on it. If there's anything worse than the absence of democracy, it's the pretense of democracy.